Abstract

Isotopic cooling ages of detrital white micas are used as markers for source ages and provenance of siliciclastic sediments in the Central European Basin. Zechstein deposits at the southern margin of the basin were supplied from the nearby Saxo-Thuringian Zone of the Variscan Orogen (340 Ma). Buntsandstein sediments originate from late Variscan rocks (310 Ma) of the Bohemian Massif, the Vindelician High or the French Massif Central, whereas detrital micas from the Middle Buntsandstein of the north German island of Helgoland have a Cadomian age (577 Ma). Provenance may be from southern Poland or Czech Republic and Slovakia. Sandy Muschelkalk in southern Germany originates from the Bohemian and Vindelician Massifs. Source areas of Lower Keuper sediments and the Schilfsandstein (Stuttgart Fm.) are the Caledonides in western Norway (400 Ma). In contrast to this, the Fennoscandian Shield never delivered any material to western and southern Germany. In southern Germany, the terrigenous Keuper deposits above the Schilfsandstein consist of detritus from the Bohemian Massif (320 Ma). In northern Germany, the Upper Keuper siliciclastics are of Cadomian age (570 Ma) and are derived from Polish or Slovakian sources. Lias and Dogger detrital muscovites in northern Germany are also of Cadomian age (555, 665 Ma), whereas in southern Germany in the Lias Variscan material from the Bohemian Massif was deposited (350 Ma). Only Dogger micas yielded Cadomian ages (580 Ma).